Sudanese death row Christian woman arrives in Italy

Mariam Yahya Ibrahim of Sudan (right) carries one of her children, as she arrives with Lapo Pistelli (centre) Italy's vice minister for foreign affairs, holding her other child, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (second from right), his wife Agnese (left) and Foreign Affairs minister Ferica Mogherini were also on hand to greet her after she landed at Ciampino airport in Rome on July 24, 2014. The Sudanese woman, who was spared a death sentence for converting from Islam to Christianity and barred from leaving Sudan initially, flew into Rome on on an Italian government jet. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Mariam Yahya Ibrahim of Sudan (right) carries one of her children, as she arrives at Ciampino Airport in Rome with Lapo Pistelli (centre) Italy's vice minister for foreign affairs, holding her other child July 24, 2014. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (second from right), his wife Agnese (left) and Foreign Affairs minister Ferica Mogherini were also on hand at the airport to welcome the Sudanese woman, who was spared a death sentence for converting from Islam to Christianity. She flew into Rome on an Italian government jet. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Mariam Yahya Ibrahim of Sudan (right) carries one of her children, as she arrives with Lapo Pistelli (centre) Italy's vice minister for foreign affairs, holding her other child, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (second from right), his wife Agnese (left) and Foreign Affairs minister Ferica Mogherini were also on hand to greet her after she landed at Ciampino airport in Rome on July 24, 2014. The Sudanese woman, who was spared a death sentence for converting from Islam to Christianity and barred from leaving Sudan initially, flew into Rome on on an Italian government jet. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Mariam Yahya Ibrahim of Sudan (right) carries one of her children, as she arrives at Ciampino Airport in Rome with Lapo Pistelli (centre) Italy's vice minister for foreign affairs, holding her other child July 24, 2014. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (second from right), his wife Agnese (left) and Foreign Affairs minister Ferica Mogherini were also on hand at the airport to welcome the Sudanese woman, who was spared a death sentence for converting from Islam to Christianity. She flew into Rome on an Italian government jet. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

ROME/KHARTOUM (REUTERS) - A Sudanese woman who was spared a death sentence for converting from Islam to Christianity and then barred from leaving Sudan flew into Rome on Thursday in an Italian government plane.

Mariam Yahya Ibrahim, whose sentence and detention triggered international outrage, walked off the aircraft cradling her baby and was greeted by Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi.

There were no details on what led up to the 27-year-old’s departure after a month in limbo in Khartoum, but a senior Sudanese official said it had been cleared by the government. “The authorities did not prevent her departure that was known and approved in advance,” the senior official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Ibrahim was accompanied on the plane by Italy’s vice minister for foreign affairs, Lapo Pistelli. He told journalists at Rome’s Ciampino airport Italy had been in “constant dialogue”with Sudan but did not give any more details on Rome’s role in securing her exit. He published a photograph on his Facebook page of himself with Ibrahim and her two children on the plane with the caption:“A couple of minutes away from Rome. Mission accomplished.”